+232 is the country code for Sierra Leone
+232 explained
The Sierra Leone country code, 232, is what you dial before a Sierra Leone number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Sierra Leone dialing code, Sierra Leone calling code, or Sierra Leone phone code. In the Sierra Leone phone number format, +232 comes first, then the area code, such as 22 for Freetown, then the local number.
- Country code
- +232
- The 00232 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- SL, SLE
- Use the SL country code or the SLE country code on forms and passports. To call Sierra Leone, dial +232
- Used in
- Sierra Leone
- No other country or territory dials +232
- Exit code
- 00
- From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0011 from Australia, and + from any mobile
- Trunk prefix
- 0
- Drop it after +232
- Number length
- 8 digits
- After +232
- Time now in Sierra Leone
- Sierra Leone mobile number format
- (025) 123456
- From abroad: +232 25 123456
- Sierra Leone landline number format
- (022) 221234
- From abroad: +232 22 221234
+232 area codes of main cities
Each +232 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +232, then the city code, then the local number. Inside Sierra Leone, callers leave out +232 and put 0 in front of the city code. So Freetown is +232 22 from abroad and 022 at home.
- Freetown
- +23222
- Bo
- +23232
- Makeni
- +23252
Sierra Leone phone number types
The first digits of a Sierra Leone number tell you what kind of number it is: a landline, a mobile, a free number, or one that costs more to call. Here is a sample of each type of Sierra Leone phone number, as dialed inside Sierra Leone and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Sierra Leone
“Kushɛ-o”
Hello. No source names a phrase used only on the phone, so this is the everyday Krio hello, the language most of the country understands
Reply
“Aw yu du?”
Emergency number
900
The Sierra Leone Police site names 900 for urgent police help and gives no separate ambulance or fire number.
Sierra Leone PoliceSierra Leone's mobile network grew from 2 million lines in 2009 to 2.2 million lines in 2012.
Wikipedia: Telecommunications in Sierra LeoneSierra Leone's national trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema by microwave radio relay.
Wikipedia: Telecommunications in Sierra LeoneEnglish is the official language, but Krio is the language nearly everyone understands: it is spoken by 97% of the country.
Wikipedia: Sierra Leone
What it costs to call Sierra Leone (using Suparelay)
Landline from $1.02/minMobile from $1.02/min
Only 24 of 221 countries cost more to call than Sierra Leone.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Sierra Leone?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Sierra Leone fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The 0 is still in the number
Sierra Leone numbers start with 0 for calls inside the country. Drop it when you call from abroad: +232 takes its place.
- Connects
- 011 232 22 221234
- Does not connect
- 011 232 0022) 221234
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 reaches Sierra Leone from most places. Callers in the US and Canada dial 011 first instead.
- Connects
- 011 232 22 221234
- Does not connect
- 00 232 22 221234
Questions about +232
Which country is +232?
+232, or country code 232, belongs to Sierra Leone, and no other country shares it.
What is +232?
+232 is the code you dial before a Sierra Leone number when you call it from another country. It replaces the first 0 of the number.
What is the difference between +232 and 00232?
The + stands for your own exit code. 00 is the exit code in Sierra Leone and most of the world, so 00232 and +232 reach the same number there. From the US or Canada, dial 011 232 instead.
Do I drop the 0 after +232?
Yes. The 0 is Sierra Leone's trunk prefix and works only inside the country. Dial +232 22 221234, not +232 022 221234.
Can I text a +232 number?
Yes. Write the number as +232 without its first 0, and your carrier sends the text abroad at its international rate.
How much does it cost to call Sierra Leone?
The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.
What is the emergency number in Sierra Leone?
Dial 900 for urgent police help anywhere in the country, according to the Sierra Leone Police.
Do I need to speak Krio to call Sierra Leone?
No. English is the official language, but Krio, spoken by 97% of the country, works on most calls too.
Which networks does a Sierra Leone number use?
Sierra Leone's mobile networks include Africell, Orange, Qcell, SIERRATEL, and SMART Telecom (One Mobile), according to NatCA.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
NatCA, National Numbering Resource Regulations 2019